ITAP Part 2, Genius of Photography, Week 6

Week 6, Part 2 Genius of Photography

Q.1 How many photographs are taken in a year?

   This year 80 Billion photographs will be taken, not only has the medium of

 photography become worth fighting for, but has also become more 

a appreciated practice gaining more appreciation as a fine art, as well as 

snap shot memories for those ammeters.

Q.2 What is Gregory Crewdson’s modus operandi?

   His modus operandi is unmistakable and is easily recognisable due to his
unique design features which resemble that of a film set, working with a team
who come from film background. With the use of cinematic lighting to generate
that perfect shot, he is in full control of the surroundings. With his dislike for
holding the camera, and operating the camera, despite it being a necessary
instrument, he is still in full control of the final outcome of the finished
product which he is mostly interested in.

Q.3 Which prints command the highest price & what are they called?

   "Prints that command the highest price tags are usually the ones 

made the photographer themselves; closest to the times the actual

picture was taken. Like fine wines these prints are known as vintage."

Q.4 What is a Fake photograph? Give an example and explain how & why it is fake:

    A fake photograph is a reproduction of an original image that has been 

created after the death of the photographer to be sold as their original work,

therefore these can not be sold as a genuine piece but as a reprint.

These fake photographs that are considered to be "vintage" have been 

chemically manipulated and have had enhancers added to the image called 

Optical Brightness Agent (OBA's). 

   An original image is one that the photographer had printed from the

negatives themselves.

   A Prime example of an image that has been sold as a fake, is the piece

"The Power House Mechanic". This piece was detected to been a fake since

the OBA chemicals were found within the print. These chemicals had started

to have been used in the printing of imagery in 1955. However, the artist

Lewis Hine died in 1940, therefore this imagery containing OBA's could not

have been an original or vintage piece, as the chemicals were discovered

after his death. This fake image along with so many others sold, was to make

profit because of the marketing margin and demand for these images.

Q.5 Who are Li Zhensheng and what is he famous for?

   Li Zhensheng began to take photojournalistic images of the cultural revolution

within Japan as a Red Army Solider during the 1960's and 70's. 

   These images were later banned in Japan, because of their 

content containing images of brutality, and the true nature of Red Army. However,

New York wished to promote these images, and became successful in America,

and hidden reality to the Japanese citizens.

Q.6 What is the photographers “holy of holies”?

   Martin Parr joined Magnum Agency, which was renowned for its reputation

of photographers. Parr had a distinctive approach to photojournalism, 

and had to fight a battle to be categorised within the "Holy of Holies".

Q.7 How does Ben Lewis see Jeff Walls photography? 

   Lewis saw Wall's work as an emulation of 19th century paintings, where
everything is constructed and has purpose and meaning. Lewis observed
Wall's work as being this constructed art form that portrayed contemporary
theatrical concerns, such as racial stereotypes, and gender.

Q.8 Which famous photograph was taken by “Frank Mustard”?
   "The River France" was originally thought to have been taken by French
photographer Camille Silvy, this however was not the case. The manipulation
by the addition of the clouds within the sky and the arrangement
of the people situated within a hierarchy was organised by Silvy, but the imagery
itself was taken by photographer Frank Mustard.